Fowler new Masters favourite as he joins Hoffman at the top

Garcia and Pieters also in the mix

The second day at Augusta proved to be every bit as compelling as the first, but it’s all change at the top of the leaderboard – and the betting.

Rickie Fowler was the star of the show yesterday, as the American flew from one over par to top the list at four under.

It’s seen our traders slash the odds on the 28-year-old bagging his first Major this weekend into just 7/2 outright favourite, in from 22/1.

It was a very different day for first round leader Charley Hoffman.

After stunning everybody to go seven under, the 40-year-old struggled on day two to post a three over par.

The American will be delighted however, to retain a share of the lead heading into the weekend, although his odds have drifted from 6/1 to 16s.

Joining that pair at the top is effervescent nearly-man Sergio Garcia.

The Spaniard was bogey-free on Thursday, and despite picking up a few on Friday, a pair of birdies on 15 and 17 thrust Garcia into the -4 club.

And at 5/1, our odds-makers rate the 39-year-old second favourite to finally end that Major drought.

The final man in the leading quartet is Thomas Pieters who enjoyed a fine round of 68. The Belgian is 8/1 to win this weekend.

Jordan Spieth wasn’t looking good at seven holes, with the 2015 champion sat at four over par for the weekend.

But a storming run through the back nine saw the Texan pull it back to four under for the day and par overall – and we can’t rule him out at 7/1.

Rory McIlroy endured all kinds of fortunes on day two, but it was notably bad on the 18th, where the Northern Irishman hit a sublime shot – too sublime – and it hit the pin before rolling a good 30ft away.

That turned what would have been a makeable birdie into a bogey, but the four-time Major winner remains in the mix, albeit five shots back and is 10/1 to turn it all around this weekend.

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Richard loves his sport, especially if it involves the sound of tyres screaming around a race track. He's not fussy though and his '90s Premier League nostalgia and knowledge of team nicknames is tough to match.

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